Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiori)
- Address:Piazza del Duomo, Florence
- Hours:Mon - Wed and Fri: 10am - 5pm, Sat: 10am - 4:45pm, Sun and religious holidays: 1:30pm - 4:45pm. Thurs and other holidays: hours vary seasonally. Dome hours vary
- Admission:Cathedral admission is Free, Dome admission is € 8
Cultural Experience, Religious Experience, Church / Cathedral, Monument - Historical
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2:47 PM Saturday, May 26
Passing clouds. Mild.
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You'll catch glimpses of the red-tiled dome of the Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiori, peeping over the rooftops as soon as you arrive in Florence, but your first face-to-face encounter with its pink and green marble glory is hard to forget.
The 13th-century Sienese architect Arnolfo di Cambio was responsible for building many landmarks in Florence but this is his showstopper. The beautiful ribbed dome was creatively added by Brunelleschi in the 1420s.
The building took 170 years to complete, and the facade was remodeled to reflect Cambio’s design in the 19th century.
Inside the Duomo, your eyes are inevitably drawn upwards to that soaring painted dome and lovely stained-glass windows by such masters as Donatello. Visit the crypt, where Brunelleschi's tomb lies, or to the top of the enormous dome itself for stupendous views over Florence.
Fantastic tour - highly recommend! Gave a good insight into the history of this amazing city, and took in many of the major sites with lots of fascinating info. Patrizia was the perfect guide - her passion for Florence is infectious! Obviously, skipping the line for the Duomo and Galleria dell'Accademia is brilliant. I did this walking tour on my first morning in Florence, it was the perfect start, gave me a feel for the city and really set the scene for me getting the most out of my 3-day visit. I feel in love with Florence and I think this tour paved the way for an excellent visit!
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This is a great opportunity to see Florence and the Fiesole area above the town. One is afforded sweeping views of the Duomo and Arno river. Winter was a little chilly, but the best views are from the top.
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This tour with our guide Angelo was excellent. He explained the city, culture, history, the architecture, sculptures and art very well. This was an English speaking group and Angelo was terrific. We enjoyed the skip the line as this was an early morning tour and there were lots of people waiting to get tickets..
Separately, my wife and I climbed the Duomo and the view was spectacular, well worth the 463 step climb to the cupola.
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The Duomo is in the heart of central Florence, a short walk east from the train station.
